3.5 but I chose to round up. This was a fast and fun retelling full of spice. I personally felt like it was too fast paced for my personal taste but I know so many people will enjoy this read. Thank you for arc and I look forward to reading more from this author.

3.5 but I’m rounding up

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of fairy tale retellings and was excited for a retelling of red riding hood and werewolves. I went into the story assuming that it would be heavy on the romance (based on the synopsis) and I wasn’t disappointed there. Ruby and Rafe had great tension and even though both had personal issues to work through, they helped each other through them eventually and I rooted for them.

I rated it a 3.5 though because there was an unexpected mystery and magic plot dangled in front of me, and I was pulled into it and wanted answers. But we got nothing, not even a hint as to why or who or how. I’m sure it continues into the next book, but this first book felt like it ended abruptly (on a cliffhanger) with nothing resolved except for the romance/HEA. It looks like the next book may focus on a different couple too so I’m curious how we’ll get answers to the mystery that revolves around Ruby if she’s not the subject of the next book.

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


So I don't know where to start really...I mean it was tagged as a "romance" but I didn't think it would be this kind of romance if you know what I mean.....

I don't know. I was expecting more? I've been wanting a well written romance...guess I'll keep waiting!

It's a short, smutty read. It's a contemporary re-telling so if you're looking for fantasy, this isn't it. Not a lot of plot and gets straight to the point.

I received this book as an arc and am voluntarily leaving a review :-)

NO HATE TO THE PUBLISHER, AUTHOR OR ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED.

This book was super interesting, but It definitely moved WAYY to quickly for my liking, and overall, I just wasn’t feeling it. The concept was good, but the execution wasn’t. The writing style was appealing, But I just couldn’t connect to the characters :(

This romantasy is a little red riding hood retelling and I really enjoyed it!

If you like the books from Emily McIntire’s Never After series then I would definitely recommend this book!

Pub date is 10/1/23 and this is the first book in her triology series. It looks like the second book is set to publish in January 2024.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Actual 2.5/5 stars

Honestly.. this book read a bit like a fanfiction, swap out the main characters for a celeb pairing and it'd be the kinda thing you see on A03. Not necessarily a bad thing (there's some amazing fanfics out there lets be real) but I think in this case it didn't quite work. I love werewolves and fated mates, I love grump guys and emo girls.. the base was all there. The execution just didn't quite hit the mark.

We needed a little more world building, more history, the characters needed a little more depth, the plot left the holes too big and expansive to fill. We were just expected to accept the differing beings in this world with no background as to how or why or when. We were expected to just get on with Rafe throwing his toys out of the pram constantly despite apparently being hundreds of years old. We were expected to accept these attacks were seer linked.. but by the end we got no real answers or even clues who was behind it all.

I just wanted something with more depth, everything felt too surface level, felt too.. unanswered, the cliffhanger wasn't all that strong (it should of been left when Ruby woke up - the epilogue frankly was unneeded and ruined the suspense tbf), the r rated stuff was ok but the lust became such a focus that the actual plot lost its chance to shine.

Unfortunately not a series I think I'll continue, it was fun, the writing was ok but it just felt too plain for me.

I received this book as an ARC.. I’m a fan of fairytale retellings and was intrigued by the notion of Little Red Riding Hood, however, this book just wasn’t the one for me. It was cute, in the way that a lot of werewolf fantasy books can be but I found the dual povs confusing in some places and the plot pace to be a little off - I’d have loved more time getting to know the characters and the world they’re in before getting into the thick of things.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free ebook copy in return for an unbiased review!

This book is a short romance book with a sprinkling of fantasy. To be honest the kinks in here and the sex was too much for my taste (although kudos for how it is written - very nice writing using actual anatomical descriptions which many books do not) - this book had a LOT of spice! (So spicy book loving readers will love this one!).
I also dont generally like books written in the third person but I did not get confused so the author did this well.

The reason for the detracting 1 star, is
- the illogical decisions some of the characters make - for example they get some information but do not share it. Or they get some exercises to do and just ignore that part... It is more than a little infuriating when authors provide the main character with information they should act on but they don't!
Furthermore I was confused somewhat about the world building and characters. It started off feeling like it was historical, then suddenly we were in the modern world! So a little jarring as the opening did not read so.
- the lack of a clear timeline as to how long they had lived there etc. - I had no idea how long the girls had lived where they are living for - it seemed some had friends there at the school but never went to school? I was not sure how old the characters were or what the deal there was either.. So I got very confused and still have no clue as to the timeline there (so better reinforcement of that was needed I think)
- I was also confused how they lived in a house in walking distance from a town with 2 pubs? The town itself doesnt seem overly small so i felt that she walked back and forth was odd - and then it felt she had no neighbours and was in the middle of nowhere only to have neighbours? So a little confusing....
- The timeline was confusing - at the start when the 2 mc's meet, it seemed like they were together a month already (discussing getting into the habit of taking food back and doing this and that and i got the impression weeks had passed) then suddenly there is mention that only a week had passed in total... which was jarring and didnt make sense..

There was also a big issue with the timeline at the end where we jumped back in time a week for the younger brothers view then jumped forward a week again somehow? (Am guessing this was missed in the proofs).

But a great book nethertheless!

A short book so I binged it!

Rafe and Ruby are made for each other. Even when I want to strangle Rafe for being stubborn and dumb.

The book begins with Ruby walking home from work feeling eyes on her. Those eyes belong to a beautiful, lumberjack of a man who has been following her home for weeks. From there, the tension between Rafe and Ruby grows until it reaches its breaking point.

I loved that this book not only focused on Rafe and Rubys relationship, but that there was a greater plot to keep you hooked. I am excited to see where the series takes us and to learn more about the world we have entered.

I do think the book dragged a bit in some places. It felt like the plot would stall for a few pages and then pick back up again. Typically I am all here for tension building, but I think there could have been less of the two obsessing over each other and a little more world building.

Overall, it was a good read. I definitely got cozy fall vibes from it so it’s coming out at the perfect time.

3⭐️ 3🌶️

Contemporary Romantic Fantasy
Dual POV
Werewolf
Insta-lust
Slow burn
Flashbacks
Fated mates
Fake dating


This is a retelling of Res Riding Hood.
Because this is a contemporary, romantic fantasy retelling, there was not a lot of world building. I had hoped that there was a little bit more explanation of shifters, magic, history of magic in America or something along those lines… nope.

The story starts the night that the two main characters meet. I found it to be lacking the kind of character introduction and flushing out that I prefer. The half chapter POVs really doesn’t help much. If they would have been individually introduced a 2-3 days prior, and they were full chapter POV’s, I would have been more settled in getting to know each of the characters, individually, before their romance started. It probably would have upped the tension.

Probably the biggest issue for me was that the name of the book was never made evident. Where was the curse aspect? If it’s revealed in the second book, why name the first one that? There was a battle. And a secret… either one of those would have been a more fitting replacement. Instead the title feels stale, following the familiar (and worn out) fantasy formula, “A _____ of ____ and _____.”

I did like the FMC. Ruby was someone trying to step away from her small town persona of the weird orphan with a cool sister. She was relatable and able to hold her own. I wish she wasn’t quite so blase about something as wild as finding out there is magic. She just accepted it in a split second. I almost wish that one of the time Rafe broke things off that it would have been her, finally thinking about things logically before just accepting the paranormal world.

I read it just fine, but it wasn’t something I would find myself going to look for to finish the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨Arc Review✨

"A Curse of Blood and Wolves" by Melissa McTernan is a fantasy novel that explores a more grown-up version of the 'Little Red Riding Hood' fairytale. The story follows the struggles of its characters as they grapple with grief, their sense of self, and conflicting feelings of hope and love. While the book presents a unique premise and some intriguing elements, it may not be a standout in the fantasy genre for everyone. Some readers might find the pacing inconsistent, and the plot might not deliver the depth or engagement they expected. I myself read this on the tail end of a book that hit all of the right notes for me, so in some ways, it almost felt unfair to read this directly following it. That isn't to say that this wasn't an enjoyable read. This is the kind of book that I would be happy to indulge in under a warm blanket during spooky season. One that has some supernatural elements, some spice, but is also an easy read and doesn't require too much thought. For my spice lovers, I'd give it 2 chili peppers. 🌶️🌶️ There was one scene in particular that I really enjoyed, but the rest were pretty standard to me. Overall, it's a book that falls somewhere between 2.5 to 3 stars for me, offering a decent reading experience for those lazy afternoons this fall.

I received this book as an ARC. This is my first re-telling read of Little Red Riding Hood. I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. It was a slow burn, but once the match is lit ….Wow.

Great story building. Strong characters. It does end in a cliff-hanger but not in a bad way.

I’m glad I went into this with the right expectations cause I think I would have been disappointed if I expected something different. This is advertised as a steamy Red Riding Hood retelling with a sarcastic, spunky heroine and a brooding but sweet wolf hero. If you like fluffy romance with lots of spice and not too much plot to follow then this is the book for you. Every character in this book is in heat from page one, so much so that the story suffers for it in my opinion. There’s nothing wrong with a lot of spice if that’s what you like, but there needs to be more there to drive the plot and there just wasn’t enough.

There’s something interesting to be explored in the werewolf lore, especially in the scenes with the pack, but it’s rushed through so quickly and never elaborated on. This is intended to be the first book in a fantasy trilogy so establishing the world and magic system should have been a huge priority. The world felt so small and I wish there were more characters introduced who could be explored in the later books.

On the bright side, I did like most of the characters and thought a lot of the banter was pretty well done. However, the main character’s actions and motivations flipped so quickly and so often, sometimes several times in the same chapter, with little rhyme or reason which made a lot of plot points hard to follow. All in all it’s a little cringey and a lot cliche, but I did still enjoy parts of this book. It just didn’t have enough substance to merit a higher rating.

Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this Advanced Reader Copy! This review is my honest opinion and offered voluntarily!

I’m a fan of fairytale retellings and was intrigued by the notion of Little Red Riding Hood being done.

This was a cute romance but I found the pace to be a little off. It took me longer than I would have liked to finish this book. The story wasn’t bad, it just never came to the point where it grabbed me and never transitioned into a page turner that I just couldn’t put down.

I didn’t find myself super invested in the characters but Ruby was a great FMC. She was self sufficient and outspoken, always doing what needed to be done and taking care of her weaker, older sister. Rafe, the MMC, I found to be somewhat insufferable. He’s lived through many centuries but whines a lot and always runs from his feelings instead of facing them. He was a good protector though. The tension was written well and it was a relief when he finally claimed his mate.

I wish there would have been more world building, especially on the werewolf side of things. I hope the next book delves more into the seer aspect because the information we were given was pretty basic and vague. I liked the melee of support characters with having a dryad, a witch, other werewolves and I hope we see more of and learn more about them in the sequel. There was nothing really climatic in this book and the cliffhanger at the end, fell really flat. I feel like the three star ranking is a generous one. Again, this book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t terribly exciting either.

I received an advance reader copy and am leaving my review voluntarily.

Unfortunately, this book just did not do it for me. I love a good fantasy read so I rarely discriminate, but this werewolf story was just not written very well. The FMC was annoying and nothing stood out about the MMC. Also the characters were a bit juvenile and angsty in a teenage way except they were adults....
Anyway thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I don't doubt someone else out there will enjoy this story. It just wasn't for me.

It was hard to decide what to rate this book, I stayed between 3-4 stars. I ultimately went with 4 because I did enjoy it.

My biggest thing with this book was the pacing. I felt like the plot was sort of rushed and almost anticlimactic? For the sake of leaving out spoilers I won’t mention much. However, the big fight didn’t seem like one at all? Not to mention the ending was the dreaded thing to come but it was also anticlimactic.

On the flip side, I loved all the characters in this book, including side characters! The dynamic between Ruby and Rafe, while sudden, was nice! I loved their banter and how things ended up for them.

All this to say, I will be reading the next book!
4/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️

Thank you to the Publisher & NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I think calling it an adaption on Red Riding Hood is more of a way to get people interested than a major plot point - her name is Ruby and he is a wolf, which are the only real similarities. I was immediately drawn into the characters - Ruby has a spunky personality and is drawn to oddities, which causes her to feel like an outcast. Rafe is the brooding type who carries a lot trauma with him and does not feel he deserves to be loved. Their connection is immediate, but the author writes a good slow burn, which helps establish their emotional connection.

My main critique is that I was thrown off by the setting. Initially, there was no established time period, so I had to slowly figure out that it was set in modern time after reading about cell phones and modern movies. You also don't find out that they are in Maine until a third of the way into the book. The book could've benefitted from moving these details up to better understand where and when they were in the world.

When I saw this was a steamy reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood I had to give it a go!

Starting with the cover, I love it. The design and the colours really stand out.

I definitely enjoyed the story but felt it was just missing something. I enjoyed the developing relationship between Rafe and Ruby but it was a little bit too much ‘I don’t want to hurt you so I’ll stay away’ for my liking. I was so glad when they finally got together and stopped the messing around!

There are some other interesting characters that bring in other mythological creatures to the story. I can’t wait to learn more about them. I want to know more about Ruby and her sister.

I kept expecting something really big to happen but it didn’t until the very last sentence. I know this series has a lot to explore and I want explanations for what has been happening. This was just the beginning and I know that I will definitely read more.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing the ARC for a honest review.

This is a loosely based Little Red Riding Hood retelling. Ruby who is our FMC is taking care of her sister and herself while working in a bar, and she finds adventure while walking through the dark woods to get home. The town she grew up in is small, the kind where everyone knows everyone, and she's outcasted because of her past. Well in comes our MMC, Rafe, he's a loner Werewolf stalking Ruby nicely...lol.

The Beginning definitely catches your attention and has you wanting more. Their banter and conversation is cute. Rafe isn't used human interaction which makes some things innocently cute from a big burly Wereman. The world is fun, but basic; small town, woods, skype. The relationship develops smoothly for awhile as their trust grows. I love that Ruby is on the curvy side, and has her boots, it paints a wonderful picture. There is a tiny bit of spicy, but a lot of angst.

Though with the easy flow and good world building, there is so many unanswered questions. I feel more so than normal. I'm hopeful that in the sequel they with be more forthcoming in answers. Along with some situations being repeated. I just wanted to shake them both.